Write-once type optical disc, and method and apparatus for managing defective areas on write-once type optical disc

ABSTRACT

A recording medium and a method and apparatus for managing a defective area on the recording medium are provided. The method according to one embodiment includes detecting an existence of a defective area within the data area of the recording medium; writing data written in the defective area onto a replacement area of the at least one spare area if the defective area is detected; and writing defect management information associated with the defective area onto one of a plurality of defect management areas on the recording medium, wherein the defect management areas on the recording medium are allocated on the lead in area and within the at least one spare area of the recording medium.

This application is a Continuation of co-pending application Ser. No.10/670,463, filed on Sep. 26, 2003, (now allowed) which claims priorityto Korean Patent Application Nos. P2002-058515, filed on Sep. 26, 2002,and P2003-001856, filed on Jan. 11, 2003. The entire contents of each ofall three applications are herein fully incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical disc of write-once type,such as a Blu-ray Disc Write Once (BD-WO), and a method and apparatusfor managing a defective area on the write-once type optical disc.

2. Background of the Related Art

A new type of high density optical disc such as a Blu-ray DiscRewritable (BD-RE) is being developed. A benefit of the BD-RE is that ithas a rewritable capability where the quality video and audio data canbe written, erased and rewritten thereon repeatedly.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a general optical disc device forwriting/reproducing data to/from an optical disc such as a BD-RE. Asshown in FIG. 1, the optical disc device includes an optical pickup 11for recording/reproducing a signal to/from a BD-RE 10, a video discrecorder (VDR) system 12 for processing a signal from the optical pickup11 as a reproduced signal, or demodulating and processing an externaldata stream into a writable signal suitable for writing onto the BD-RE10, and an encoder 13 for encoding an external analog signal andproviding the encoded signal to the VDR system 12.

FIG. 2 shows a structure of a related art BD-RE. Referring to FIG. 2,the BD-RE is divided into a Lead-In Area (LIA), a data area, and aLead-Out area (LOA), with an Inner Spare Area (ISA) and an Outer SpareArea (OSA) assigned to a fore end and a rear end of the data area.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the VDR system 12 of the optical disc devicewrites in the data area of the BD-RE the external data in clusterscorresponding to an ECC block unit having a predetermined size ofrecording, after the VDR system 12 encodes and demodulates the externalsignal into a signal suitable for writing. During the writing process,if there is a defective area found in the data area of the BD-RE, theVDR system 12 carries out a series of replacement writing operations inwhich the clusters of data written onto the defective area is writtenonto one of the spare areas, e.g., on the ISA in place of the defectivearea. Therefore, even if there is a defective area in the data area ofthe BD-RE, the VDR system 12 can prevent a data writing error in advanceby writing the clusters of data written in the defective area onto thespare area.

A Blu-ray Disc Write-Once (BD-WO) is another type of high densityoptical disc that is being developed where a high quality of data can berecorded and reproduced to/from the disc. As the name may suggest, datacan be written only once on the BD-WO and is not rewritable on theBD-WO, but the BD-WO can be read repeatedly. As a result, the BD-WO isuseful where the rewritability of data on a recording medium is notdesired.

Unfortunately, since the BD-WO is still in the early development stage,there are no schemes, no disc structures, no apparatuses and no methodson how to manage the defective areas of the BD-WO, which will be neededfor the BD-WO to be commercially viable and operationally feasible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a technique formanaging a defective area on an optical disc of write-once type such asa BD-WO.

An object of the present invention is to provide a write-once typeoptical disc, and an apparatus and method for effectively managing adefective area of the write-once type optical disc.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be apparent to thosehaving ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following ormay be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and otheradvantages of the invention will be realized and attained by thestructure particularly pointed out in the written description and claimshereof as well as the appended drawings.

According to an aspect of the invention, a method for managing adefective area on a recording medium of writable once type, therecording medium including a data area, includes (a) detecting anexistence of a defective area within the data area of the recordingmedium once data are written onto the data area in a data writingoperation; (b) writing data written in the defective area onto anotherarea of the data user if the defective area is detected; and (c)writing, onto at least one defect management area on the recordingmedium, defect management information associated with the defectivearea.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for managing adefective area on a recording medium of writable once type, therecording medium including a data area and a lead-in area, the data areaincluding a spare area, includes (a) detecting an existence of adefective area within the data area of the recording medium afterwriting data onto the data area in a data writing operation; (b) writingdata written in the defective area onto the spare area if the defectivearea is detected; and (c) writing, onto the lead-in area, defect listinformation associated with the defective area.

According to another aspect of the invention, a recording medium ofwritable once type, includes a data area including a recording area, areplacement area, and at least one defect management area, wherein anexistence of a defective area within the data area of the recordingmedium is detected after data are written onto the recording area duringa data writing operation, data written in the defective area are writtenonto the replacement area if the defective area is detected, and defectmanagement information associated with the defective area is writtenonto the at least one defect management area.

According to another aspect of the invention, a recording medium ofwritable once type, includes a data area including a spare area; and alead-in area, wherein an existence of a defective area within the dataarea of the recording medium is detected after writing data onto thedata area in a data writing operation, data written in the defectivearea is written onto the spare area if the defective area is detected,and defect list information associated with the defective area iswritten onto the lead-in area.

According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for managinga defective area on a recording medium of writable once type, therecording medium including a data area, includes (a) a configuredsection for detecting an existence of a defective area within the dataarea of the recording medium once data are written onto the data area ina data writing operation; (b) a configured section for writing datawritten in the defective area onto another area of the data user if thedefective area is detected; and (c) a configured section for writing,onto at least one defect management area on the recording medium, defectmanagement information associated with the defective area.

According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for managinga defective area on a recording medium of writable once type, therecording medium including a data area and a lead-in area, the data areaincluding a spare area, includes (a) a configured section for detectingan existence of a defective area within the data area of the recordingmedium after writing data onto the data area in a data writingoperation; (b) a configured section for writing data written in thedefective area onto the spare area if the defective area is detected;and (c) a configured section for writing, onto the lead-in area, defectlist information associated with the defective area.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method formanaging a defective area on a recording medium, the recording mediumincluding a data area and a lead in area, the data area including atleast one spare area, the method comprising: (a) detecting an existenceof a defective area within the data area of the recording medium; (b)writing data written in the defective area onto a replacement area ofthe at least one spare area if the defective area is detected; and (c)writing defect management information associated with the defective areaonto one of a plurality of defect management areas on the recordingmedium, wherein the defect management areas on the recording medium areallocated on the lead in area and within the at least one spare area ofthe recording medium.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a recordingmedium comprising: a data area including a recording area and at leastone spare area, each of the at least one spare area including areplacement area and a defect management area, and a lead in areaincluding another defect management area, wherein if a defective areawithin the recording area is detected, data written in the defectivearea are written onto the replacement area within the at least one sparearea, and defect management information associated with the defectivearea is written onto the one of the defect management areas within theat least one spare area and the lead in area.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatusfor managing a defective area on a recording medium, the recordingmedium including a data area and a lead in area, the data area includingat least one spare area, the apparatus comprising: a pickup forrecording and reproducing the data on/from the recording medium; and acontroller configured to control the pickup to detect an existence of adefective area within the data area of the recording medium, and towrite data written in the defective area onto a replacement area of theat least one spare area if the defective area is detected, and to writedefect management information associated with the defective area ontoone of a plurality of defect management areas on the recording medium,wherein the defect management areas on the recording medium areallocated on the lead in areas and within the at least one spare area ofthe recording medium.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method formanaging a defective area on a recording medium, the recording mediumincluding a data area and a lead in area, the data area including arecording area and at least one spare area, the method comprising stepsof: (a) detecting an existence of a defective area within the recordingarea of the recording medium; (b) writing data written in the defectivearea onto one of the at least one spare area if the defective area isdetected; (c) allocating a defect management area within the recordingarea; and (d) writing defect management information associated with thedefective area onto the allocated defect management area.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatusfor managing a defective area on a recording medium, the recordingmedium including a data area and a lead in area, the data area includinga recording area and at least one spare area, the apparatus comprising:a pickup for recording and reproducing the data on/from the recordingmedium; and a controller configured to control the pickup to detect anexistence of a defective area within the recording area of the recordingmedium, and to write data written in the defective area onto one of theat least one spare area if the defective area is detected, and toallocate a defect management area within the recording area, and towrite defect management information associated with the defective areaonto the allocated defect management area.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a recordingmedium comprising: a data area including a recording area and at leastone spare area, wherein if a defective area within the recording area isdetected, data written in the defective area are written onto the atleast one spare area, and defect management information associated withthe defective area is written onto a defect management area, the defectmanagement area is allocated within the recording area; and a lead inarea for writing disc definition structure information containingpositional information of the defect management area allocated withinthe recording area.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and thefollowing detailed description of the present invention are exemplaryand explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of theinvention claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a related art optical disc device schematically;

FIG. 2 illustrates a structure of a related art BD-RE;

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an optical discrecording/reproducing device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a structure of a single layer BD-WO and adual layer BD-WO, respectively, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a method of managing a defective area on a BD-WO inaccordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the method of managing a defective area on aBD-WO in accordance with a variation of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a method of managing a defective area on a BD-WO inaccordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a method of managing a defective area on a BD-WO inaccordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a method of managing a defective area on a BD-WO inaccordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;and

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C illustrate a method of managing a defective areaon a BD-WO in accordance with various examples of a fifth preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 3 is an example of a block diagram of an optical discrecording/reproducing device 20 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. The optical disc recording/reproducing device 20includes an optical pickup 22 for writing/reading data to/from anoptical recording medium 21, a servo unit 23 for controlling the pickup22 to maintain a distance between an objective lens of the pickup 22 andthe recording medium 21 and for tracking relevant tracks on therecording medium 21, a data processor 24 for processing and supplyinginput data to the pickup 22 for writing, and for processing data readfrom the recording medium 21, an interface for exchanging data and/orcommands with any external host 30, a memory or storage 27 for storinginformation and data therein including defect management data associatedwith the recording medium 21, and a microprocessor or controller 26 forcontrolling the operations and elements of the recording/reproducingdevice 20. Data to be written/read to/from the recording medium 21 mayalso be stored in the memory 27. All the components of therecording/reproducing device 20 are operatively coupled.

The recording medium 21 is a recording medium of write-once type such asa BD-WO.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate respectively a structure of two types of awrite-once optical disc such as a BD-WO according to the presentinvention. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the BD-WO can have one or tworecording layers. In FIG. 4A, a BD-WO having only a single recordinglayer (Layer 0) includes a single recording layer composed of a lead-inarea (LIA), a data area, and a lead-out area (LOA), and is referred toherein as a single layer disc. In FIG. 4B, a dual layer BD-WO includestwo recording layers (Layers 0 and 1). The first recording layer (Layer0) includes a LIA, a data area, and an outer zone. The second recordinglayer (Layer 1) includes a LOA, a data area and an outer zone, and isreferred to herein as a dual layer disc. Generally, a data writingoccurs in the direction shown with the dotted arrow in the dual layerdisc. The single layer disc can have a capacity of 23.3, 25.0 or 27.0Gbytes, whereas the dual layer disc can have a capacity of 46.6, 50.0,or 54.0 Gbytes.

It should be noted that all the different embodiments of the presentinvention (e.g., various methods discussed below) are applicable to anytype of a write-once optical disc, such as a single layer BD-WO or adual layer BD-WO. Further, although the use of the recording/reproducingdevice 20 of FIG. 3 is discussed below in conjunction with the methodsof the invention, the invention is not limited to such and encompassesother recording/reproducing devices as long as they are configured toimplement the present methods. For instance, the device shown in FIG. 1may be used to implement the present methods as needed.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for managing a defective area on a BD-WO inaccordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the method of managing a defective area of awrite-once optical disc according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention is as follows. The optical disc recording/reproducing device20 writes data continuously on a predetermined writing sector in thedata area of the BD-WO, where a writing sector may be set to be a DefectVerify Unit (DVU) of a certain recording size equivalent to one or morethan one physical track or cluster on the BD-WO.

After continuously writing the data on the DVUs for a set of data(Recording 1), the microcomputer 26 controls the pickup 22 to conduct aseries of defective area detecting operations on the Recording 1 area ofthe BD-WO. A defective area detecting operation involves reproducing thedata written in a DVU and verifying that the data was properly writtenon the DVU by, e.g., comparing the actual data reproduced from the DVUwith the data that was meant to be written on the DVU. If theverification result indicates that certain data was not properlyrecorded on a DVU, then the recording/reproducing device 20 assumes thatthere is a defective area in that DVU of the BD-WO and rewrites the data(directed to the defective DVU) on a next available recording area onthe BD-WO using a linear replacement scheme.

For example, after writing first to fifth clusters of data (Clusters#1˜#5) continuously as a first defect verify unit DVU #1 (step S10), themicrocomputer 26 controls the pickup 22 to reproduce the data written onDVU #1 progressively (e.g., cluster by cluster), and detects if there isany defective area in DVU #1 by examining the reproduced data. If, forexample, a defective area is detected in the second cluster Cluster #2(step S11), the microcomputer 26 controls the data processor 24 and thepickup 22 to carry out a replacement writing operation. In thereplacement writing operation, the data written to Cluster #2, which aretemporarily stored in the memory 27 or some other storage, are writtenonto a cluster area succeeding the fifth cluster Cluster #5 (step S12).

After the replacement writing for Cluster #2 is completed, therecording/reproducing device 20 checks the next cluster and so on untilthe last cluster in that DVU is checked. If, for example, a defectivearea is detected from the fourth cluster Cluster #4 (S13), therecording/reproducing device 20 carries out a replacement writingoperation as discussed above to write the data written in the defectiveCluster #4 onto a next available cluster area, e.g., a cluster areasucceeding the replacement area for Cluster #2 (step S14).

The replacement writing operations continue until data on all thedefective clusters in the DVU are written in other cluster areas(replacement areas). As a result, in this example, DVU #1 ends up havingClusters #1, #3, and #5 and two defective areas (original Clusters #2and #4), where the replacement areas are used to write data thereon inlieu of the two defective areas using a linear replacement scheme.

Once the data recording (Recording 1) having a temporal continuity ends(which includes the defective area detection operations and replacementwriting operations for DVU #1, DVU #2, . . . , DVU #n), themicrocomputer 26 writes management information onto an area 32 followingthe last DVU of Recording 1.

The management information is used to manage the defective areas in thedata area of the BD-WO and to manage the data written in the replacementareas corresponding to the defective areas. The management informationmay be managed as Defect List (DFL) information, wherein the DFLinformation may include one or a plurality of defect entriesDefect_Entry # 1-Defect_Entry #m, each defect entry having a firstphysical sector number of a corresponding defective area (PSN ofDefective), a first physical sector number of a replacement areacorresponding to that defective area (PSN of Replacement), and any otherdata pertaining to a defect entry.

Once the writing of the DFL information (e.g., DFL #1) for Recording 1is completed, the recording/reproducing device 20 may continue withanother data writing operation (e.g., Recording 2) having a temporalcontinuity. When the data writing operation (Recording 2) ends (whichincludes the defective area detecting operations and the replacementwriting operations for all the DVUs of Recording 2 as discussed above),the management information for Recording 2 is written in an area 33following the last DVU in Recording 2. This process is repeated as longas all the data to be written in the data area of the BD-WO are properlywritten.

For fast access to the management information written thus far, themicrocomputer 26 may be configured to write fast access information inother parts of the BD-WO. For instance, the fast access informationcontaining a physical sector number of the defect list written thereon(PSN of Defect List) may be written on the LIA of the BD-WO as DiscDefinition Structure (DDS) information. That is, the physical sectornumber of the DFL #1 (area 32), the physical sector number of the DFL #2(area 33), and so on are stored in the LIA as part of the DDS. In thealternative, once all the defect lists (e.g., DFL #1-DFL #i) are writtenscattered throughout the data area of the BD-WO according to the datawriting operations, the location information (e.g., physical sectornumber) of these defect lists may be stored in the LIA as part of theDDS. According to these configurations, during a data reproducingoperation, a recording/reproducing device can read and refer to the DDSinformation written in the LIA to locate where the DFLs are located inthe data area of the BD-WO. Then the DFLs can be searched to locate andreproduce data written in a replacement area corresponding to a desiredarea that is defective.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the first embodiment, there is no pre-assignedspare area in the data area of the BD-WO. DFLs as stored are scatteredthroughout the data area as the recording operations progress.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the method for managing a defective area on aBD-WO in accordance with a variation of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention. This variation of the first embodiment isidentical to the above discussed first embodiment (FIG. 5), except thatthe BD-WO includes a spare area of a fixed size assigned initially to afront part (ISA) or rear end part of the data area, e.g., during thedisc production. In this example, an Outer Spare Area 34 (OSA) assignedto the rear end part of the data area is shown.

In this variation, the spare area (e.g., OSA 34) has a fixed sizeinitially, but is variable depending on the need to use the spare areaduring a data writing/recording operation. For instance, as defects inthe data area increase, the size of the assigned spare area may bedecreased because the writing of data in the data writing operation(s)is pushed into the spare area, thereby reducing the size of the sparearea. That is, in this variation of the first embodiment, the spare areais assigned and used as a designated extra space for the data writingoperations, and not necessarily as a replacement area onto which data ofthe defective area may be written using a linear replacement scheme.

For instance, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the recording size of thedata area (excluding the OSA 34) is reduced according to the recordingsize of replacement areas (e.g., the size of replacement Clusters #2 and#4) and the size of DFLs as the defective area detecting operation andreplacement writing operation are progressed. In this aspect, if thefinal written location of the data in the user data (excluding the OSA34) does not protrude into the starting written location of the OSA 34assigned at the initial stage of disc production, the recording size ofthe data area (excluding the OSA 34) is maintained as it is. But if thefinal written location of the data in the user data exceeds the startingwritten location of the OSA 34 assigned at the initial stage of discproduction, the recording size of the user data (excluding the OSA 34)will be increased and the size of the OSA 34 will be decreasedaccordingly.

Thus, by assigning and using the OSA 34 having a variably reduciblerecording size, the recording/reproducing device 20 can minimize anyerror between a writable data capacity detected before starting a datawriting operation and the actual writable data capacity reduced due tothe presence of any defective area in the data area of the disc.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram showing a method for managing a defectivearea on a BD-WO in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. In the second embodiment, the BD-WO includes a sparearea assigned to a front part (Inner Spare Area ISA) and/or to a rearend part (Outer Spare Area OSA) of the data area. In FIG. 7, the OuterSpare Area 35 (OSA) is shown. The spare area (e.g., OSA 35) in thesecond embodiment is different from the spare area (e.g., OSA 34) in thefirst embodiment, because the spare area in the second embodiment isused as a replacement area for writing data corresponding to a defectivearea using a linear replacement scheme. The spare area in the secondembodiment has a variable size, but can have a fixed size if desired.

Referring to FIG. 7, the recording/reproducing device 20 carries out areplacement writing operation wherein, after writing first to fifthclusters of data (Clusters #1˜#5) in succession as a first defect verifyunit DVU # 1 (step S10), the defective area detecting operation and thereplacement writing operation are performed. If a defective area fromthe second cluster area (Cluster #2) is found, then the data of thesecond cluster is also written in an area 35 a of the OSA 35 (step S22)according to a linear replacement scheme. Subsequently, if a defectivearea from the fourth cluster (Cluster #4) is found, then the data of thefourth cluster is written in an area 35 b of the OSA 35 (step S24)according to a linear replacement scheme. Any data on a defective areadiscovered in each of DVUs is rewritten in a corresponding area of thespare area such as the OSA 35 using the linear replacement scheme.

As a result, in this example, the first defect verify unit DVU# 1 hasfirst, third, and fifth clusters (Clusters #1, #3, and #5) writtennormally therein and two defective areas (Clusters #2 and #4). The OSA35 has the replacement areas 35 a and 35 b for storing therein dataequal to the data of defective Clusters #2 and #4.

As in the first embodiment, the second embodiment of the inventionwrites the management information scattered throughout the data area ofthe disc once each data recording (e.g., Recording 1, Recording 2, etc.)with a temporal continuity ends. For instance, the recording/reproducingdevice 20 writes DFL information (i.e., DFL #1) as the managementinformation onto an area 32 following the last DVU of Recording 1. Theoperation of writing management information (e.g., DFLs) and theoperation of writing DDS (e.g., for fast access) are the same as thosediscussed in the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram showing a method for managing a defectivearea on a BD-WO in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. The third embodiment is identical to the secondembodiment of the invention, except that the DFLs (managementinformation) are not stored as scattered throughout the data area, butinstead, the DFL(s) are stored within an assigned spare area such as anISA or OSA.

As shown in FIG. 8, for example, after each data recording (e.g.,Recording 1) with a temporal continuity ends, the recording/reproducingdevice 20 writes a DFL corresponding to just ended data recording,within the OSA 35. Thus, all the DFLs corresponding to differentRecordings 1, 2, . . . are stored in an area of the OSA 35. In addition,the OSA 35 functions as replacement areas for storing data identical tothe data of any defective area in the data area. Having the DFLs withinone area such as the OSA 35 and having the replacement areas all withinthe OSA 35 can expedite the process of locating desired replacementareas using the DDS and DFLs.

FIG. 9 illustrates a diagram showing a method for managing a defectivearea on a BD-WO in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. The fourth embodiment is identical to the thirdembodiment of the invention, except that the DFLs (managementinformation) are written in a particular writing sector outside of thedata area, for example, in the lead-in area LIA.

As shown in FIG. 9, for example, after each data recording (e.g.,Recording 1) with a temporal continuity ends, the recording/reproducingdevice 20 writes a DFL corresponding to just ended data recording,within the LIA 36. Thus, all the DFLs corresponding to differentRecordings 1, 2, . . . are stored in the LIA 36. In addition to theDFLs, the LIA 36 stores therein the DDS discussed in the previousembodiments. The OSA 35 still functions as replacement areas for storingdata identical to the data of any defective area in the data area.Having the DFLs within one area such as the LIA 36, having thereplacement areas all within the OSA 35, and/or having both the DDS andDFLs within one area such as the LIA 36 expedites the process of defectmanagement and the process of locating desired replacement areas usingthe DDS and DFLs.

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C are examples for illustrating a method formanaging a defective area on a BD-WO according to a fifth preferredembodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment differs fromthe previous embodiments in that it allows a cumulative writing of DFLs.This cumulative writing of DFLs is applicable to each of the firstthrough fourth embodiments previously discussed.

As an example, according to the fifth embodiment, FIG. 10A shows how thecumulative writing of DFLs is applied to the first and secondembodiments shown in FIGS. 5-7. Referring to FIG. 10A, when a first datawriting operation (e.g., Recording 1) having a temporal continuity ends,the recording/reproducing device 20 writes a DFL (DFL #1) correspondingto the just ended, first writing operation onto a first DFL area 37 ofthe data area. As discussed in the first and second embodiments, thefirst DFL area 37 follows immediately the last DVU of the firstrecording area (an area of Recording 1). Then the recording/reproducingdevice 20 proceeds with a second data writing operation (i.e., Recording2). After the second data writing operation ends, therecording/reproducing device 20 writes a DFL (DFL #2) corresponding tothe second writing operation along with the first DFL (DFL #1) onto aDFL area 38 of the data area. The second DFL area 38 follows immediatelythe last DVU of the second recording area (area of Recording 2). Thenthe recording/reproducing device 20 proceeds with a third data writingoperation (i.e., Recording 3). After the third data writing operationends, the recording/reproducing device 20 writes a DFL (DFL #3)corresponding to the third writing operation along with the first andsecond DFLs (DFLs # 1 and #2) onto a third DFL area 39 of the data area.The third DFL area 39 follows immediately the last DVU of the thirdrecording area (area of Recording 3). This process continues for anysubsequent data writing operation. Accordingly, the DFLs arecumulatively written within the data area as the data writing operationscontinue.

As another example, according to the fifth embodiment, FIG. 10B showshow the cumulative writing of DFLs is applied to the third embodimentshown in FIG. 8 where the DFLs are written within a spare area such asthe OSA 35. Referring to FIG. 10B, when a first data writing operation(e.g., Recording 1) having a temporal continuity ends, therecording/reproducing device 20 writes a DFL (DFL #1) corresponding tothe just ended, first writing operation onto a DFL area 35 d of the OSA35. Then the recording/reproducing device 20 proceeds with a second datawriting operation (i.e., Recording 2). After the second data writingoperation ends, the recording/reproducing device 20 writes a DFL (DFL#2) corresponding to the second writing operation along with the firstDFL (DFL #1) onto a second DFL area 35 e of the OSA 35. In this example,the second DFL area 35 e is immediately adjacent to the first DFL area35 d. Then the recording/reproducing device 20 proceeds with a thirddata writing operation (i.e., Recording 3). After the third data writingoperation ends, the recording/reproducing device 20 writes a DFL (DFL#3) corresponding to the third writing operation along with the firstand second DFLs (DFLs #1 and #2) onto a third DFL area 35 f of the OSA35. In this example, the third DFL area 35 f follows immediately thesecond DFL area 35 e. This process continues for any subsequent datawriting operation. Accordingly, the DFLs are cumulatively written withinthe spare area of the data area as the data writing operations continue.

As still another example, according to the fifth embodiment, FIG. 10Cshows how the cumulative writing of DFLs is applied to the fourthembodiment shown in FIG. 9 where the DFLs are written within an areaoutside of the data area, e.g., a lead-in area LIA 36. Referring to FIG.10C, when a first data writing operation (e.g., Recording 1) having atemporal continuity ends, the recording/reproducing device 20 writes aDFL (DFL #1) corresponding to the first writing operation onto a DFLarea 36 a of the LIA 36. Then the recording/reproducing device 20proceeds with a second data writing operation (i.e., Recording 2). Afterthe second data writing operation ends, the recording/reproducing device20 writes a DFL (DFL #2) corresponding to the second writing operationalong with the first DFL (DFL #1) onto a second DFL area 36 b of the LIA36. In this example, the second DFL area 36 b is immediately adjacent tothe first DFL area 36 a. Then the recording/reproducing device 20proceeds with a third data writing operation (i.e., Recording 3). Afterthe third data writing operation ends, the recording/reproducing device20 writes a DFL (DFL #3) corresponding to the third writing operationalong with the first and second DFLs (DFLs #1 and #2) onto a third DFLarea 36 c of the LIA 36. In this example, the third DFL area 36 cfollows immediately the second DFL area 36 b. This process continues forany subsequent data writing operation. Accordingly, the DFLs arecumulatively written within an area before/after the data area, such asa lead-in area as the data writing operations continue.

In the fifth embodiment, by accessing the last DFL area of a data area,a spare area or a lead-in area, the DFLs associated with all the datawriting operations can be advantageously and immediately accessed.Therefore, even when the first defect list information (DFL #1) writtenat the time the first data writing operation (Recording 1) is not readproperly, DFL #1 information can be accessed by reading any subsequentDFL information. This prevents or minimizes an occurrence ofreproduction errors which may be caused by a damage to any defect list.

The application of the method for cumulative writing and managing thedefect list information may be extended to other embodiments for writingand managing defect list information in addition to the foregoingvarious embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 9.

In the present invention, the data reproducing operation can occurcurrently, subsequently or prior to the data writing operation. The datawriting operation can occur currently, subsequently or prior to thedefect detecting operation and/or data replacement writing operationand/or the management information writing operation.

As has been described, the method and apparatus for managing a defectivearea on an optical disc of write once type according to the presentinvention read and reproduce properly a data written on a defective areaof an optical disc such as BD-WO in a data reproduction by writing thedata onto a spare area or other data area in place of the defective areaand by managing the data associated with the defective area and thedefect management data effectively. The invention also minimizes anerror between a writable data capacity of a recording medium detectedbefore starting the data writing operation and the actual writable datacapacity of the recording medium reduced due to the defective area, andminimizes any occurrence of reproduction errors which may be caused by adamage to a defect list.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it isintended that the present invention cover the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A method for managing a defective area on a recording medium, therecording medium including a data area and a lead in area, the data areaincluding at least one spare area, the method comprising: (a) detectingan existence of a defective area within the data area of the recordingmedium; (b) writing data written in the defective area onto areplacement area of the at least one spare area if the defective area isdetected; and (c) writing defect management information associated withthe defective area onto one of a plurality of defect management areas onthe recording medium, wherein the defect management areas on therecording medium are allocated on the lead in area and within the atleast one spare area of the recording medium.
 2. The method as claimedin claim 1, wherein in the writing step (c), the defect managementinformation includes a plurality of defect lists.
 3. The method asclaimed in claim 2, wherein each of the defect lists contains a presentdefect list and any previous defect list, such that each of the defectlists becomes a cumulative defect list.
 4. The method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the at least one spare area is either an inner sparearea located at a front part of the data area, or an outer spare arealocated at a rear end of the data area.
 5. The method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the defect management information includes positionalinformation on the defective area and positional information on thereplacement area of the spare area used in the writing step (b).
 6. Themethod as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: (d) writing discdefinition structure information onto the lead in area, the discdefinition structure information containing positional informationassociated with the defect management information.
 7. A recordingmedium, comprising: a data area including a recording area and at leastone spare area, each of the at least one spare area including areplacement area and a defect management area; and a lead in areaincluding another defect management area, wherein if a defective areawithin the recording area is detected, data written in the defectivearea are written onto the replacement area within the at least one sparearea, and defect management information associated with the defectivearea is written onto the one of the defect management areas within theat least one spare area and the lead in area.
 8. The recording medium asclaimed in claim 7, wherein the defect management information includes aplurality of defect lists.
 9. The recording medium as claimed in claim8, wherein each of the defect lists contains a present defect list andany previous defect list, such that each of the defect lists becomes acumulative defect list.
 10. The recording medium as claimed in claim 7,wherein the at least one spare area is either an inner spare arealocated at a front part of the data area, or an outer spare area locatedat a rear end of the data area.
 11. The recording medium as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the defect management information includes positionalinformation on the defective area and positional information on thereplacement area of the spare area.
 12. The recording medium as claimedin claim 21, wherein the lead in area further includes disc definitionstructure information including positional information associated withthe defect management information.
 13. An apparatus for managing adefective area on a recording medium, the recording medium including adata area and a lead in area, the data area including at least one sparearea, the apparatus comprising: a pickup for recording and reproducingthe data on/from the recording medium; and a controller configured tocontrol the pickup to detect an existence of a defective area within thedata area of the recording medium, and to write data written in thedefective area onto a replacement area of the at least one spare area ifthe defective area is detected, and to write defect managementinformation associated with the defective area onto one of a pluralityof defect management areas on the recording medium, wherein the defectmanagement areas on the recording medium are allocated on the lead inarea and within the at least one spare area of the recording medium. 14.A method for managing a defective area on a recording medium, therecording medium including a data area and a lead in area, the data areaincluding a recording area and at least one spare area, the methodcomprising steps of: (a) detecting an existence of a defective areawithin the recording area of the recording medium; (b) writing datawritten in the defective area onto one of the at least one spare area ifthe defective area is detected; (c) allocating a defect management areawithin the recording area; and (d) writing defect management informationassociated with the defective area onto the allocated defect managementarea.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: (e)writing disc definition structure information onto the lead in area, thedisc definition structure information containing positional informationof the defect management area allocated within the recording area.
 16. Aapparatus for managing a defective area on a recording medium, therecording medium including a data area and a lead in area, the data areaincluding a recording area and at least one spare area, the apparatuscomprising: a pickup for recording and reproducing the data on/from therecording medium; and a controller configured to control the pickup todetect an existence of a defective area within the recording area of therecording medium, and to write data written in the defective area ontoone of the at least one spare area if the defective area is detected,and to allocate a defect management area within the recording area, andto write defect management information associated with the defectivearea onto the allocated defect management area.
 17. A recording medium,comprising: a data area including a recording area and at least onespare area, wherein if a defective area within the recording area isdetected, data written in the defective area are written onto the atleast one spare area, and defect management information associated withthe defective area is written onto a defect management area, the defectmanagement area is allocated within the recording area; and a lead inarea for writing disc definition structure information containingpositional information of the defect management area allocated withinthe recording area.